Berkshire airprox (Airprox 2013086)
- Date
- 19 Jul 2013
- Place
- About 19.5 nm west of Heathrow over Berkshire, England, at FL340, United Kingdom
- Record
- Curated case
- Assessment
- Unexplained
- Evidence strength
What was reported
At 18:35 UTC on 19 July 2013 the captain of an Airbus A320 cruising at 34,000 ft west of Heathrow saw a bright silver, metallic object shaped like a cigar or rugby ball coming toward the aircraft at the same level and ducked, believing a collision was imminent; it passed just above the jet. Radar showed nothing. The UK Airprox Board, in report 2013086, ruled out other aircraft and meteorological balloons, judged a toy balloon unlikely at that altitude but not eliminated, and concluded it was not possible to trace the object or determine the likely cause.
What officials concluded
Unresolved
UK Airprox Board report 2013086: object not traced, cause not determined
Strongest ordinary reading
none established; a stray balloon was not eliminated
Evidence profile
Sensors1 of 9
- Yes: Visual
- No: Infrared
- No: Radar
- No: Video
- No: Photo
- No: Film
- No: Audio
- No: Night vision
- No: Other sensor
Witnesses1 counted
- No: Civilian
- No: Military aircrew
- No: Military ground
- Yes: Airline crew
- No: Sensor operator
- No: Law enforcement
- No: Scientist
- No: Astronaut
- No: Intelligence official
- No: Other
ShapeCylinder
- No: Light only
- No: Orb or sphere
- No: Disc
- No: Triangle
- Yes: Cylinder
- No: Cube
- No: Other shape
Effectsnone reported
- No: Physiological
- No: Physical trace
- No: Electromagnetic
- No: Sound
- No: Silent
Outside sources
- UK Airprox Board: report 2013086airproxboard.org.uk
- David Clarke: jet in airmiss with UFO near Heathrowdrdavidclarke.co.uk
On the map
51.43° N, 0.97° W, plotted at the site
Show on the map